


Devil May Care

by Kymbersmith90



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Accidental summoning, Alternate Universe - Demons, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan Fluff, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan Smut, Crossroads Deals & Demons, Demons, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Halloween, Smut, Soul Bond, Strangers to Friends, time jumps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:54:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27073813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kymbersmith90/pseuds/Kymbersmith90
Summary: When 8-year-old Killian Jones accidentally summons a demon one afternoon, he sets his life on a path he could never have anticipated.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 98
Kudos: 120





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> **This is just a small piece I threw together to mark Halloween this year. The story is fully written and will post every Wednesday and Saturday until the end of the month. It's based on a prompt which you can find here - https://teawitch.tumblr.com/post/157940955735/writing-prompt-s-while-putting-your-favorite**
> 
> **Huge thanks go to @Dooba for sharing this prompt in the first place, and to @resident-of-storybrooke and @forget-me-not-s for all of their help and support with this story.**

**England, 1998**

“Dad! Dad! _Dad!_ ”

When there was no response to his calls, Killian poked his head around the doorframe and found his older brother Liam sitting at the kitchen table, doing his homework.

“Where’s Dad?”

“How should I know?” Liam shot back, without bothering to lift his head.

“I’m hungry.”

“Then make yourself something to eat,” Liam snapped, flicking his books closed and pushing back his chair.

“Dad said I wasn’t allowed to use the sharp knives alone.”

“You don’t _need_ the sharp knives to make a sandwich, Killy. Dad’s so lazy he buys everything pre-sliced.”

Killian considered his brother’s words for a moment before he nodded and made his way over to the fridge. While he had his head buried inside of it, grabbing the spreadable butter, ham, cheese, and mayonnaise, Liam busied himself with gathering up his books.

“Where are you going?” Killian asked, setting his ingredients down onto the table before he began pushing one of the chairs over to the counter so that he could reach the bread bin.

“Upstairs. I have a test to study for.” And with that, Liam left his little brother alone to make his own sandwich.

The young boy took his time buttering each slice of bread, covering them in far more of the luxurious spread than his brother or father ever would – but at least it was evenly distributed and pushed all the way up to the crusts. Killian placed a slice of ham down onto one of the pieces of bread and then reached for the mayonnaise. Apparently, his father’s laziness had reached new levels as instead of a spreadable jar, Killian found himself holding a squeezy bottle.

“New-Men,” he declared, attempting to read the label wrapped around it. This wasn’t their usual brand of mayonnaise, and Killian’s young mind was a little confused by it. “New-Men? What’s a New-Men?”

His tummy rumbled again and the little boy shrugged off the question as he gave the bottle in his hand a couple of vigorous shakes, and then flicked open the lid.

It only took one small squeeze for Killian to decide that he liked this new mayonnaise far more than any of the others his father had purchased. With nobody to supervise him, he set to work turning his sandwich into his latest masterpiece. Recently, he’d become obsessed with the stars and how sailors used them to navigate while at sea, so this felt like the perfect time to draw one of his own.

The lines of the white condiment flowed this way and that as he tried his best to form the two triangles that would make a star, like the ones he’d seen Liam doodle in the corners of his notepad before.

“There,” he whispered to himself, as he finished joining the lines. It wasn’t perfect, and there was an odd squelch of mayonnaise in the middle of his design, but when he was finished, Killian felt oddly proud of himself. It was a shame there was nobody around to see how well he’d done.

A sudden clap of thunder outside of the windows made him jump and drop the bottle to the floor. It was followed by a flash of lighting that created dramatic shadows inside the room. Killian turned around to look behind him and his heart leaped into his throat. His mouth was already open to call for his brother when he realised that it was just the coat stand that he’d seen, and not an intruder lurking in the darkness. He gave the lounge one last thorough look before he turned back to his sandwich, and jumped in surprise once more.

“Oh!” he squeaked out, as his eyes took in the form of a woman standing in his kitchen, leaning back against the countertop. She was dressed in one of the black business suits he’d seen some of his teachers wear before, and her short hair fell with a slight wave around her face. She looked just as confused to see him standing there as he was, and somehow, that confusion felt a little reassuring.

“Did someone in this house just summon me?” she asked.

“Who are you?” Killian countered.

She continued to peer around the kitchen, almost like she was expecting someone to jump out at her, until her eyes landed on the sandwich on the table.

“Did you make that?” she asked.

Killian puffed out his chest and nodded his head. “Yep. All by myself.”

The woman in his kitchen chuckled fondly as she turned his plate around to face her and then traced the lines of his mayonnaise creation.

“This is very well drawn, Kid.”

“Thanks.” Killian rocked back on his heels as a blush coloured his cheeks. His dad would probably have yelled at him for wasting food, but the pretty lady liked his work, and that was all that mattered. “I can make you one too, if you’d like?” he offered, suddenly remembering his manners.

The woman in his kitchen seemed to hesitate for a moment before she finally nodded her head. “Thank you. I’d like that.”

“Cool.”

Killian made his way back over to the counter and climbed the chair he’d left there to reach the bread bin once again.

“Where are your parents, Kid?” the strange lady asked.

“My mum died when I was little,” Killian explained, “And I don’t know where Dad is. He’s probably at work… or at the pub… or something.”

The woman frowned as she watched him liberally butter both slices of bread. “Does that mean you’re home alone?” she asked.

“Nope. My brother’s upstairs. He’s in high school so he’s allowed to watch me.”

She seemed to relax a little at his words but continued to watch him closely while he carefully arranged two slices of ham on top of the bread, and then reached for the mayonnaise that was still lying on the floor.

“Not for me, Kid,” she said, reaching out to gently grasp his wrist and stop him from grabbing the bottle.

Killian frowned a little - because he couldn’t understand having a ham and cheese sandwich without mayonnaise - but when she released his hand he diverted his attention towards the cheese slices instead. After placing one on his sandwich and two on hers, Killian squashed the last pieces of bread down to finish their snacks, and then slid a plate across the table towards her.

“Thank you,” she said, pulling out a chair to take a seat across from him.

Killian didn’t bother trying to move the one beside the counter. Instead, he pulled himself up onto the seat that his brother had abandoned only moments before.

“What’s your name?” he asked, after swallowing down his first bite. The mayonnaise was a little over-powering, but the idea of eating his own creation drowned out his displeasure with the taste.

“Amaline,” she replied, and at his confused look, she hurried to add, “But you can call me Emma.”

“Okay, Emma. I’m Killian.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Killian,” she offered, holding out her hand for him to shake.

The odd pair lapsed into a comfortable silence as they ate their sandwiches. Emma finished hers first, but only because Killian kept pausing every now and then to stare at her. There was something about the woman sitting across from him that felt a little off, even to his young and trusting mind.

When she was finished, Emma pushed her plate away and then sat back in her seat to wait for Killian to catch up.

“Do you work?” the little boy asked, when he’d finally swallowed down his last bite.

Emma gathered up their plates and set them into the bowl in the sink to be cleaned a little later, before she re-joined him at the kitchen table.

“I do.”

“Are you a business lady?” he pressed. “Daddy says most ladies dressed like you are business ladies, and business ladies don’t have time for kids like me.”

Emma looked down at her black suit like she was a little surprised to see herself in it, and then back over to the boy’s curious face.

“I guess you could say that,” she agreed. “I make a lot of deals in my line of work. But I think you’ll find that your father is wrong, Killian. Most people will have plenty of time for kind children like you.”

“Really?” he asked, as his eyes widened with delight. “My dad says he makes a lot of deals too, but Liam says he’s a conman, not a businessman. He won’t tell me what that means, though. Will you?”

Emma’s expression dropped as she cast around for another subject that would be a little easier to cover. When her eyes landed on the pumpkins beside the bread bin, she realised what time of the year it must be on Earth.

“Are you planning to carve a pumpkin for Halloween?”

“Oh, yeah,” Killian agreed eagerly, as all thoughts of conmen disappeared from his mind. “Liam and I always have a competition to see who can carve the best one. I’ve just gotta wait for daddy to have a night off first because I can’t use the sharp knives without his help.”

Emma nodded her head in understanding while internally thanking Satan that the boy’s father seemed to care enough to at least set those limits for his child.

“Well, I look forward to swinging by on Halloween to see the final designs.”

“Where do you live?” Killian asked. “I’ve never seen you around here before. Are you new or are you visiting someone? Oh – did you get lost? Is that why you’re here?”

“I’m uh… I’m not lost,” she assured him, “But I should probably get going, I’m afraid. I have a lot of people I need to see today.” She could already feel that familiar pull in her gut, telling her that she needed to leave soon, and for the first time in her existence, Emma resented it.

“Oh… okay.” Killian’s expression fell a little, and as it did, Emma’s anger began to rise.

“But um… if you ever need anything, you know how to reach me now,” she offered, fixing on her best smile.

“I do,” Killian agreed enthusiastically, nodding his head as Emma pushed back her chair and rose to her feet.

“It was nice meeting you, Killian.” She extended a hand in his direction and the little boy gave it a surprisingly firm shake. “Thank you for the sandwich, and take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will,” he promised, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

Killian turned his head left and right to look for where she’d disappeared to, and then made his way through to the lounge, just to check and see if she had decided to explore in there.

“Emma?” he called out.

There was a noise upstairs and the little boy’s heart soared as he realised that she must have needed to use the bathroom… until he saw Liam’s face appear at the top of the staircase.

“Who are you talking to?” his brother asked.

Killian’s heart sank to the floor when it became clear that Emma was gone, and he started trudging his way slowly up the stairs, suddenly feeling the need to be alone. “No one,” he mumbled, pushing past Liam to head into his bedroom. He closed the door on his brother’s confused face and then turned to fling himself down on the bed, but something caught his eye before he could move.

Killian smiled happily to himself as he snatched up the Pikachu plushie in the middle of the duvet and cuddled the toy close to his chest. He’d been asking for that exact toy for almost two years now, and the closest he’d ever gotten was a knock-off last year for Christmas, that had fallen apart before New Year’s Day.

“Thank you, Emmeline,” he whispered to the ceiling.

* * *

Three thousand miles away, the demon known as Amaline smiled to herself as she heard a little boy’s whispered prayer, before she turned her attention back down to the middle-aged man cowering in front of her.

“Well, do we have an agreement?” she asked.

Her eyes flashed a demonic-red as he reluctantly slipped his sweaty palm into her own, and gave her hand a firm shake, sealing their deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Emma/Amaline's look here is based on Jen's look for the SAG-AFTRA screening of Sun Dogs on the 13th April, 2018.**


	2. Part II

**England, 2004**

“So, when do you think you’ll be home?”

“I don’t know, Killian. Mark didn’t show tonight so if his hours are going free, I think I’m gonna take ‘em. You’ll be okay feeding yourself, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll pick something up from Tesco while I’m there.”

“Okay. Great. Look, I’ve gotta go. My break’s almost over but I’ll be home when I can - and if you’re headed to Tesco, make sure you grab some mayo. I used the last of it for lunch.”

“I'll. See you tomorrow.”

Killian disconnected the call and then slipped his phone back into his pocket. It looked like he was in for another lonely evening of ready meals for one, and whatever was on tv. He knew that deep down it was for the best. They needed all the money they could get if they were going to keep the lights on. But that never seemed to help ease the loneliness he felt these days. He made a sharp turn left into the closest Tesco Express and headed straight for the chilled ready meal section. Killian had already sampled most of what the store had to offer, so he simply picked up the cheapest option and then headed over to the condiments aisle.

The selection available there was smaller than the one Liam’s store had to offer, but it would do in a pinch. Killian didn’t fancy walking all the way across town to a bigger store, and he didn’t want to waste bus fare on the journey either. With only a handful of coins in his pocket, he perused the small section, intending to grab the cheapest offering and get out as quickly as he could - but something familiar caught his eye.

“Nu’mann?”

The squeezy bottle of mayonnaise was new… or maybe it was just really old… because Killian was sure he’d seen that _exact_ bottle somewhere before. He picked it up to check the best before date on the neck and then froze as flashes of a woman with short blonde hair, dressed all in black, assaulted his memory.

Liam had said it was a dream. Killian had believed in his big brother’s assumption because a woman dropping out of nowhere just to visit him had seemed so strange when he’d finally explained it to his brother. But now that he was holding the bottle in his hands once more, he wasn’t entirely sure if Liam had been right. The memories he had of her were vague, and yet, so realistic at the same time.

Turning on his heels, Killian headed straight for the nearest checkout with the ready meal in one hand and the bottle of mayonnaise in the other, as he tried desperately to recall more details of the mystery blonde.

* * *

The moment he had the front door closed behind himself, Killian dropped his school bag to the floor and headed through to the kitchen. He’d been intending to put his dinner in the fridge so that he could heat it through later, but something about the mayonnaise he was still holding was calling to him. After setting the meal down on an empty shelf, he made a snap decision and pulled out what was left of the ham; cheese; and butter, dropped them onto the table, and then snagged the bread from beside the toaster.

He buttered each slice with a kind of care he’d never really taken before, smoothing the spread into each corner and right up to the crusts, before he slapped down the last slice of ham. After wiping his palms on his trousers, Killian picked up the bottle once more to examine it carefully.

“No man?” he repeated, sounding out the odd brand name in the silence of his home. “Noo mann?” Neither pronunciation sounded right to him, but then again, he couldn’t imagine calling a mayonnaise something so stupid to begin with.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he quickly unscrewed the lid on the new bottle and removed the safety seal before replacing it once more. He suddenly remembered that he’d been obsessed with the stars the last time the bottle had been in his hands. He’d used it to draw one on his sandwich. So after giving the bottle a little shake to make sure it was ready, Killian opened the cap and began to squeeze, drawing out the three lines that formed his first triangle, before he turned his plate to add the second. When he was finished, he stood back and frowned down at his sandwich.

_Something was missing…_

And then it hit him.

Killian gave the bottle another small squeeze which left an undignified splat in the middle of his star.

He could sense the change in the room almost instantly.

Turning slowly on his heels, the teenaged-boy found himself face-to-face with a woman dressed once more in a black suit. This time, she had paired it with a white shirt and a long, skinny black tie, and her longer hair had a slim braid across one side which had been pulled back into a high, sleek ponytail.

“It’s you,” he gasped out, as memories of their afternoon together came flooding back. “Emma!”

“Hello, Killian.”

“I… I… my brother said you weren’t real. He said I’d dreamt you.”

“Dreams are often easier to understand than reality,” she replied cryptically, making her way around the room.

Killian’s eyes tracked her every move.

“What, no sandwich for me this time?” she teased, eyeing the half-made creation sitting on a plate in the middle of the table.

“I don’t have any more ham - but if you want, I could make you a cheese one? Or there might be some tuna in the –”

Emma held up a hand to stop his ramblings as she cast a critical glance around the room.

“Where’s your father?” she asked.

“I dunno.” At her raised brow, Killian hastened to add, “He took off a few days after Liam turned eighteen. I haven’t seen him in years.”

Emma’s eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before she pulled out the same chair she’d sat in six years earlier, and took a seat.

Killian seemed a little lost for what to do, so instead of sitting down to eat his sandwich without being able to offer her one, he made his way over to the kettle and began filling it with water.

“How are you and your brother doing?” she asked softly.

“We’re okay, I guess… the hardest part is the money,” he reluctantly admitted. This wasn’t a conversation he’d ever had with his friends, but for some reason, he felt like Emma was someone he could open up to. “Liam does the best he can and I work weekends too. But it’s not the same as when dad was bringing home a somewhat-steady salary.”

Emma nodded her head in understanding as she watched him drop a tea bag into each of the mugs standing in front of him, and then fill them with water.

“Do you take sugar?” he called over his shoulder, pulling open the refrigerator door to grab the milk.

She didn’t miss the way he gave it a quick sniff before he added a splash to each of the mugs.

“No, thank you. This is perfect,” she told him. She couldn’t actually remember the last time she’d had a cup of tea, and she was pretty sure the last person to make her anything was the teenaged boy carefully making his way back to the table with a steaming mug in each hand.

They sat in silence for a moment, the two of them sipping at their drinks as the weight of Killian’s confession settled between them.

“How come you haven’t aged?” he asked suddenly, startling Emma out of her thoughts.

“Excuse me?”

“You haven’t aged since the last time I saw you. Your hair’s just grown a bit.”

Emma chuckled as she lifted the mug to her lips and took a deep sip. “Just because I haven’t physically changed doesn’t mean I haven’t aged. All things age, Killian. Even if we don’t want them to.”

Killian’s face screwed up a little with his confusion and Emma focused on her mug of tea so as not to laugh at him. She had a feeling that it wouldn’t go down well, given his age.

“So, what are your plans for tonight?” she asked instead.

“I don’t have any,” Killian scoffed. “Liam’s gonna be at work late so I was just gonna stick a ready meal in the microwave and watch some tv.”

“You don’t sound terribly excited about that,” she noted.

“Yeah… well…” Killian threw himself back in his seat as he stared down at the cup cradled between his hands. He might not have voiced his concerns, but at that moment, Emma could read each and every one of them in the stiff lines of his body.

“You know, I’m sure I read that there was a place around here that made the best Fish and Chips in England,” she suddenly declared. “We could order in and watch a movie if you’d like?”

“I um… I can’t afford that,” he mumbled quietly. “And you, uh… you probably have better things to do than entertain a teenager all night.”

Emma drained the last of her tea and then reached for Killian’s empty mug. After rinsing them out in the sink she set them down on the draining board and then turned back around to face him.

“Do you remember what I told you the last time I was here?” she asked suddenly.

Killian shook his head, but she could tell by the glazed look behind his eyes that he was trying hard to recall the details of that night.

“I said that I think you’ll find that most people will have plenty of time for kind children like yourself. You might not be the child you were back then, and I can’t promise how long I can stay, but my point still stands. Come on.” She nodded her head in the direction of the lounge and made her way over to the small sofa inside of it. Killian followed soon after, his eyes widening with surprise the moment he caught the enticing scent that was beginning to fill the space.

“How did you…?”

“…Magic,” Emma chuckled, ripping open one of the paper-wrapped packages on the table to pop a chip into her mouth.

Killian shook his head in disbelief before he took a seat in the corner of the sofa, and then reached for the other package. Somehow, Emma had managed to order his favourite – fish and chips smothered in curry sauce.

“Now, let’s see what’s on, shall we?” She grabbed for the remote and began flicking through the planner, looking for a movie that would be suitable for the two of them to watch together.

“We uh… we don’t have access to those channels,” Killian blurted out, when he saw what she was looking at.

Settling on a classic that she was sure wouldn’t be inappropriate for him, Emma completely disregarded everything he’d said and hit play, before dropping the remote back onto the coffee table.

“I guess there must be a glitch in the system,” she said, as Killian eyed her curiously while the opening scene of the movie began to play out across the screen.

“Yeah. I guess so.”

The two of them sat mostly in silence as they ate their meals and watched the film. It was comforting in a way that Killian had never really expected it to be. Being able to trade small comments about what was happening on-screen with someone else, helped drive away the loneliness he’d been feeling ever since his father had run off in the middle of the night.

Emma had just balled up the greasy paper in her lap when that all-too-familiar tugging sensation began filling her gut once more.

“You have to go,” Killian stated, clearly reading her mood from the look that had quickly flickered across her face. He set his own, almost-finished, meal down onto the coffee table and quickly wiped his hands down the front of his trousers in an effort to clean them.

“I do. I’m sorry. But thanks for keeping me entertained tonight. I had fun.”

Killian pushed himself up to his feet as Emma did the same, and then stuffed his hands into his pockets. At that moment, he looked the picture of teenaged awkwardness.

Emma dropped one of her own hands into her jacket pocket and summoned the small slip of paper she knew would help make things a little easier for the boy standing before her.

“Here,” she said, pulling it out to offer to him. “I think you need this more than I do right now.”

Killian took it from her and frowned down at it in confusion. “Thanks,” he said, in a tone that clearly indicated he wasn’t sure how a lottery ticket was supposed to help him.

“Take care of yourself, Killian. And you know how to reach me if you need anything.”

She was gone before Killian could ask exactly how he was supposed to do that.

* * *

Three days later, the demon named Amaline smiled to herself as she heard a teenaged boy’s whispered prayer of thanks, before she turned her attention back to the businessman standing before her.

“Well, Johnathan, your time has come,” she said, reaching for his hand.

Johnathan hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Will it hurt?”

Amaline laughed a delicate, simpering laugh. The kind that she knew would be completely at odds with what she was about to say.

“It’s Hell, Darling. What do you think?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Emma/Amaline's look for this chapter is based on Jen's look for Honoring "Once Upon A Time" at the PaleyFest 2012 on March 4, 2012.**


	3. Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **My French isn't as good as it was in high school, so please do forgive any mistakes in this chapter. I tried to check it thoroughly but we all know how reliable online translators can be.**

**England, 2010**

Killian sighed as he threw his bag into the corner of the room and then fell back onto his bed. Wednesdays were his half-days – and for good reason. He’d only sat through one lecture and three tutorials that morning, but he was absolutely exhausted.

_Who knew economics could be so intense?_

After staring at the ceiling for the best part of an hour, just to try and clear his mind, he finally hauled himself to his feet. He had a test the following day that he really should be studying for, but he also hadn’t eaten that morning, and if he had any hope of retaining any information for it, he knew he’d need food in his system.

The shared fridge in the kitchen was mostly bare. Students had a nasty habit of only buying the food they needed when they absolutely needed it - but there was just enough for Killian to make himself a ham and cheese sandwich. He set the meat, cheese, and Flora down on the counter and then turned to raid the bread bin, hoping there would be at least two edible slices in there somewhere. With a slice of white bread in one hand and wholemeal in the other, he set about carefully spreading the Flora over each piece. The last of the ham was added to one, and the last of the cheese to the other, before he gave the countertop a quick scan for the mayonnaise. When he couldn’t find it, Killian pulled open the fridge door and snatched up the first white bottle his eyes landed on.

He wasn’t entirely sure what possessed him to do it, but after giving the bottle a little shake and flipping open the cap, he turned it upside down and began drawing the first of the small triangles that would end up forming a six-point star. When he was finished, Killian added a small blob in the middle of the design and then picked up the other slice of bread, ready to slam it down on top of his sandwich. But before he could, his eyes landed on the upside-down bottle beside his plate.

“Nu’mann?”

He dropped the slice of cheese-topped bread back to the counter as he reached for the bottle, turning it the right way up to check the branding. “Nu’mann! I can’t believe they bought Nu’mann mayonnaise. Where the fuck did they even find it?”

“Hello, Killian.”

Killian turned so suddenly that he knocked his sandwich off the side. The pile of mismatched bread fell to a heap on the floor with the cheese and ham sliding out from between it.

“Emma. How uh… how did you find me here?”

“I can find you anywhere,” she replied cryptically, casting a glance around the room they were standing in.

Once again, Emma was dressed much like a businesswoman on her way to an important meeting, but this time, there was something very different about the way she looked. Instead of the black suits he’d seen her in before, Emma was wearing a dress. The grey, strapless top had a deep V in the centre, giving him an enticing peek at her cleavage, and the black skirt ended just above her knees, leaving her lower legs bare. She had a black blazer draped over her shoulders, almost like she’d rushed out of a meeting without stopping to put it on properly, and her hair was shorter once again – this time, it had been pulled back into tight braids that frankly, looked a little painful.

Killian had never seen so much of her skin on display before, and he suddenly found it much harder to swallow around the lump that had lodged itself in his throat.

_Had she always been this beautiful?_

“Are you enjoying your time at university?” she asked after a moment, making her way closer to the small table in the kitchenette.

“It’s uh… it’s um… you’re not human, are you?” he asked suddenly.

Emma released a small, delicate chuckle. “No, not anymore,” she told him, as she pulled out one of the mismatched chairs to take a seat.

“What does that mean?” he wondered, as he made his way around the table to sit down opposite her.

“I _was_ human. A long time ago. But I’m not anymore.”

“Then… what are you?” he pressed.

Emma looked down at her perfectly-painted black nails for a moment before she raised her eyes once more. “Does it really matter?”

Killian thought the question over for a few minutes. He didn’t know the woman sitting opposite him well, but he did know that he trusted her completely, in a way that he’d never really trusted anyone before. In that respect, nothing she said would ever change anything between them.

“No,” he replied, and if he wasn’t mistaken, her shoulders relaxed a little at that one small word. “Did you um… did you know that lottery ticket was going to be a winner when you gave it to me?” he asked instead.

“Yes. I trust you put the money to good use?”

“Yeah. We uh… the house is paid off. It’s Liam’s now. Well, ours, I guess. We thought it would still be in Dad’s name but when we contacted the bank to pay it, it was already in Liam’s. I guess Dad must have signed it over to him or something.”

“Or something,” she mumbled quietly.

“And, uh… we split the rest and put it into savings. I was gonna use my half to get a place while I was at uni, but it sort of felt like a waste of money. The university provides housing, and renting with friends is cheaper. This way, I can focus on getting myself a decent place when I graduate instead.”

“And when will that be?” Emma asked, keeping her intense gaze focused on the man sitting opposite her.

“Next… next year,” he stuttered out. “I only have a few months left of this one now.”

Emma nodded her head in understanding and a comfortable silence seemed to settle between the two of them for a moment.

Killian might not have fully understood what was happening whenever Emma showed up, but he knew enough to know that her arrival signaled hope and comfort – usually at times when he needed it most.

“Do you uh… do you maybe wanna go and get some coffee?” he asked, staring down at the tabletop as he did. “We really need to do an ASDA run before entertaining guests, and when I checked this morning, there wasn’t even enough milk for my coffee left in the fridge.”

Emma waited for Killian to lift his head and meet her gaze before she said, “I’d love to.”

“Oh! Uh… okay.” He nodded furiously before pushing his chair away from the table with a loud, jarring scrape. A part of him hadn’t expected her to accept his offer. Spending time with a lonely kid was one thing, but Killian wasn’t a child anymore.

“I just um… I need to –” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder to point in the direction of his room. “I’ve been on campus all morning. I should freshen up before we go.”

Emma chuckled - probably because of the strange way he was acting - and then said, “Okay.”

“Right. Okay. I’ll um… I’ll be just a minute and then I’m all yours.” Killian’s eyes widened comically as the words left his mouth and he heard them settle awkwardly in the silence of the flat. “I mean I’ll be right back,” he rushed out. “Not that I’m yours. I’m not yours. I’m not anybody’s. I’m my own person. I’m… I’m gonna go and get changed.”

He didn’t bother waiting for Emma’s response. Killian simply turned on his heels and headed straight for his room, shutting the door behind himself with a snap before he let his head fall back against it.

“Idiot,” he chided, as he pushed away and headed for the small wardrobe in the corner of the room, pulling off his t-shirt as he went. “Stupid. Fucking. Idiot.”

Although they were only going for coffee, Killian knew that he’d look strange standing next to Emma in only a t-shirt and a pair of old jeans. He didn’t want to stand out that way, and a part of him almost wanted to prove that he could dress to impress, given that she always did. So after a couple of minutes of searching, he pulled out his best dark-wash jeans and a black shirt his brother had convinced him to buy.

He sprayed himself down liberally with deodorant and quickly pulled on both garments before turning his attention to his hair. A wet comb managed to tame some of the damage his undressing and redressing had done, but without taking a shower, he knew there wasn’t much hope for it. It always seemed to have a mind of its own, anyway. So after splashing on some of his favourite scent, Killian pulled open the door to his room once more.

Emma was standing in the middle of his flat and still looked every bit as out of place as she had when she’d first arrived. But this time, instead of wearing her blazer around her shoulders, she’d slipped her arms into the sleeves and had buttoned it over her dress.

“Are you leaving?” he blurted out.

“Yes… I thought that was the point,” she chuckled. “We leave this place and go to another place to get some coffee.”

“Oh! Oh, yeah. Of course,” he agreed, pulling his bedroom door shut.

Killian made his way across the room to grab his jacket, but froze when he was standing beside the battered old coat stand. The mess he’d made in the kitchen had been cleaned so thoroughly that he couldn’t even spot a crumb on the carpet, and he was certain he hadn’t heard the sound of the vacuum cleaner while he’d been in his room.

“You didn’t need to do that,” he told Emma.

“It’s fine,” she assured him, waving away his concerns. “It only took me a second.”

“Okay. Well, um… after you, I guess?” he said, opening the front door and gesturing for her to step through it. After patting himself down for his wallet and keys, Killian followed behind her, turning briefly to lock the door. Emma’s heels made a loud clicking noise against the stone floors as they made their way along the corridor, down three flights of stairs, and then through another door to step out onto the pavement.

“Where um… where would you like to go?” he asked, glancing up and down the street. To the left was the university, which sold pretty good coffee in the library café – but they were definitely overdressed for that. To the right was the city centre and the local Starbucks – which was likely to be teeming with students enjoying their own half-days.

“I have an idea,” she said, as a devious look coloured her features. She reached out for his arm and tugged him into the shadows beside the building before asking, “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Killian replied, without hesitation, because she’d never given him a reason not to.

“Good. Then close your eyes.”

For a moment, he simply stood and stared at her in complete disbelief.

“Close your eyes,” she urged, her tone dropping a little as she stepped in closer.

Killian’s eyes snapped shut without much thought as he felt her step even further into his personal space. His heart rate kicked up a notch when her hands reached out to rest firmly on his shoulders, and he brought his own up to loosely grip her elbows.

_This is it_ , he thought to himself. _She’s going to kiss me_.

But the kiss never came. Instead, Emma simply whispered, “You can open them now,” as she dropped her hands from his body.

With a slightly crushing weight of disappointment settling in his chest, Killian did just as she’d asked - and then gasped in surprise.

The dirty alley they’d been standing in was gone, and in its place was a bright, beautiful street lined with boutique stores, cafes, and coffee shops.

“Where are we?” he asked, because it didn’t look anything like any part of the city he’d seen before.

“Turn around.”

Killian quirked his brow at Emma before slowly turning to look behind them. When he did, his mouth dropped open in a silent gasp.

“Is… is that the Eiffel Tower?”

Emma simply shrugged her shoulders in response. She turned to look up and down the street before crossing it at a leisurely pace, leaving Killian to jog a little to catch up to her.

When she pushed open the door to the small café in front of them, his senses were suddenly assaulted with the smell of freshly baked goods and ground coffee beans. There was some sort of music playing lightly in the background, mixed with the occasional whispered chatter of the few patrons inside the establishment.

“Bonjour,” Emma greeted, as she approached the counter and the short, balding man standing behind it. “Pouvons-nous avoir deux cappuccinos et deux de vos muffins aux bleuets, s'il vous plaît?”

Killian’s jaw might have dropped again as fluent French fell from Emma’s tongue, completely effortlessly.

The man behind the counter must have agreed to her request because Emma handed over a few funny-looking paper notes, before she grabbed hold of Killian’s upper arm and steered him over to a couple of soft-looking armchairs next to the window.

“How did we get here?” he eventually blurted out, hoping that the language barrier would help to keep their conversation private because his question had come out much louder than he’d intended.

“Would you believe me if I said magic?” Emma asked.

He considered the question for a moment and then nodded his head. Magic made sense. It would explain how she always found him; how she got in and out of his homes so easily; and how she’d had a plush toy and a winning lottery ticket on her when they’d met before.

“So… you’re like a witch… or something?”

“Or something,” she chuckled cryptically. “I thought we agreed that it doesn’t matter?”

“It doesn’t,” Killian rushed to assure her, as the short, balding man approached their table with a tray in his hands. He set a mug of coffee down in front of each of them and then placed a small plate containing two muffins onto the table, before he bowed and made his exit.

“I just uh… I just thought it would be nice to get to know you a little better, that’s all,” Killian said, as he added sugar to his mug with a laser-like focus.

Emma waited until he’d finished and finally raised his eyes to meet hers before she spoke again. “My favourite colour is blue and my favourite season is spring. I don’t watch tv or movies very often, but I enjoy visiting the opera or the ballet when I get some time away from work. I like coffee and muffins… and I uh… I only really have one friend. He seems to have a thing for ham and cheese sandwiches.”

Killian felt himself blush a little at her admission so he turned his attention back down to his coffee.

“I’m also over one-thousand-years-old,” she whispered, “But don’t tell anyone that.”

Killian chuckled slightly at her confession - because he honestly had no idea if she was telling the truth or just trying to lighten the mood. Emma didn’t seem to expect a response, however, so instead of trying to come up with one, he simply relaxed back into his seat to stare out of the café window as he drank his coffee.

“I’ve never been to France before,” he mused, a little while later. He wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed since Emma had last spoken, but it hadn’t felt awkward. “I kind of wish we could stay.”

Emma mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like, “Me too,” but it was said too quietly for Killian to be certain.

When they were finished with their muffins and coffees, she pushed herself up to her feet once more. “How about we go for a walk before I take you home?” she asked.

Killian practically jumped up from his armchair at the offer to spend more time with her. Emma chuckled at the way his shin hit the front of the table with his haste, and then called out, “Merci et au revoir,” to the man standing behind the counter, before she followed Killian out of the café.

Once they were back outside, she linked her arm through his and then turned them gently towards the left. “This way,” she said, and Killian was more than happy to follow along.

As they made their way up and down the streets of France, Emma pointed out the various different places and landmarks she knew. The sky above them was slowly beginning to darken as the sun was gradually replaced with a bright full moon. Wherever they went, Emma made sure to keep the Tower in their line of sight, and Killian almost wished that he had a good excuse to stay in France, because it truly was a beautiful sight to behold.

But as with all good things in life, their time together was drawing to an end, and he knew they needed to say goodbye to the town when Emma guided him into a dark alleyway, miles from where they had first arrived.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered to him once more, turning to loop her arms around his neck.

Killian did as she asked, but his eyes sprang open again the instant he felt her lips press softly against his own. The surprise of her kiss clouded his mind for a moment, and it took him much longer than it should have to realise that they were once again standing in the alley beside his flat.

“Not back inside?” he teased, because he wasn’t really sure what else to say.

“Your flatmates are home,” Emma explained. “It might look a little odd if you suddenly turn up in the middle of the kitchen with a strange woman at your side.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I guess so.”

Killian toed at the ground as he searched for the right words to say to fit the moment, but he couldn’t seem to find _any_ at all.

Eventually, Emma was the one to break the silence between them as she leaned in to press another kiss to his cheek.

“Thank you for a wonderful day, Killian.”

“I should be thanking you,” he protested, because she was the one who’d transported them both to France for the entire afternoon.

“It was my pleasure,” Emma assured him. “Take care of yourself. And you know how to find me if you need me.”

She was slowly stepping away from him again, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and pull her back.

“Oh, and Killian,” she called out suddenly, “Don’t worry about your test tomorrow. I’ll take care of it.”

She was gone before he could even open his mouth – which was probably a good thing, because the first word to fall from it was, “Fuck!”

* * *

Six days later, the demon known as Amaline smiled to herself as a man whispered his prayer of thanks upon seeing his most recent test score, before she turned her attention back to the trembling woman standing in front of her.

“Well, Amy, was it worth it?” she asked.

“ _Please_. Please you don’t have to do this. _Please_ ,” Amy begged.

“You knew the price when you made the deal,” Amaline chuckled darkly, “So yes, I _really_ do.” Her eyes flashed a demonic red as she reached out to press her palm to the other woman’s head.

Before Amy’s screams had finished dying on her lips, Hellhounds had already dragged her soul away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Emma/Amaline's look here is based on Jen's look for the 'If Only' Texas hold'em charity poker tournament benefiting City of Hope on July 29, 2018**


	4. Part IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sorry for the slight delay with this chapter. I had a small technical hitch and was without my laptop for a few days.**

**England, 2014**

Killian offered the big, burly man on the door a small, appreciative smile as he was finally allowed inside of the club and out of the rain. He wasn’t entirely sure he preferred being inside. The club was dark and loud and there was already a stench of sweat permeating the space. At least outside the air was cool and fresh. However, it had been months since he’d last seen his brother, and after the stress of the job interview he’d sat through earlier that day, Killian was looking forward to having a good excuse to let his hair down – metaphorically speaking. (He’d done the long-hair thing in his first year of uni, and it hadn’t been a pretty sight.)

He cast a quick glance around the dark space, hoping to spot his brother, but instead, his eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting at the bar. Killian’s breath caught in his throat as he watched a man older than his father leer over the woman sitting opposite him. While he watched, the other man’s hand slid onto her lower thigh and lingered there as he leaned in to whisper something into her ear. Killian was so distracted by the scene taking place in front of him that he didn’t see his brother approaching. In fact, he’d forgotten that anyone else was in the room until Liam practically shouted, “What’s got your panties in a twist?” right into his ear.

Killian was grateful that the loud music covered his yelp of surprise. He wrenched his eyes away from the scene taking place in front of him and then turned around to greet his brother. “Sorry. I uh… long week,” he replied vaguely, leaning in to hug the man standing beside him. “It’s good to see you, Liam.”

“You too, little brother, you too,” he chuckled, slapping Killian heartily on the back. When he pulled away, his eyes travelled over to the bar as he declared, “Let’s go and get a drink. You can tell me all about the long week you’ve had over a pint or three.”

Killian nodded his head in agreement and then followed behind his brother as Liam pushed his way through the crowds of people towards the bar. Of course, the only space to open up was right beside the creepy older guy Killian had just been watching. He considered suggesting to Liam that they find a different spot, but Killian knew that would lead to awkward questions that he simply didn’t have the answers to. So instead, he kept his head down and squeezed himself into the small space between his brother and the creep.

While Liam was busy ordering their drinks, Killian allowed his eyes to drift over to her form. He was pretty sure she’d grown her hair out again, as this time, she wore it braided around the top of her head. She was also wearing another dress, but this one was completely different to the one he’d last seen her in. Instead of looking like a businesswoman who was headed to an important meeting, she looked a little like a dominatrix in the tight, black, leather minidress she’d picked for the night.

Killian’s attention must have lingered much longer than he had intended because he could have sworn that her eyes flicked up to meet and hold his for just a moment, before she turned back to the man she was sitting with.

“So, do we have a deal?” she asked, offering the creep a flirtatious smile.

It almost looked like the smile she’d given to him before, but there was something a little different curling at the edges of it.

“We have a deal,” the creep agreed, sliding his hand further up her thigh. “Shall we seal it with a kiss?”

She chuckled at his words, but it wasn’t the kind of chuckle Killian had heard from her before. This one felt dark and foreboding. It was the kind of noise that sent a shiver up your spine.

“You’ve seen too many movies, Mr. Bates. A simple handshake will do,” she said, extending her own.

It took the lech a little longer to remove his hand from her thigh than was socially acceptable, but Killian noticed that she didn’t complain. Instead, she smiled another one of her edgy smiles as her companion slipped his hand into hers. The moment their palms touched, Killian could have sworn he saw a flash of red fill her gaze, but in the next instant it was gone, and he quickly wrote it off as nothing more than a trick of the light.

“Now, how about a dance,” the creep asked, letting his hand fall back down to her thigh to tease at the hem of her dress.

Killian didn’t want to stick around and hear her reply. He turned to his brother and offered Liam a flimsy excuse about needing the bathroom, and then made a hasty escape.

The bright lights and cold tiles of the men’s bathroom was a stark contrast to the darkness of the club. Killian took his time inside the space, reminding himself that he had absolutely no reason to be jealous, and that he had plans for his evening, before he splashed some cool water onto his face and then patted it dry. When he was sure that he had a good handle on his emotions once more, he pulled open the door, mentally preparing himself for what he might see on the dancefloor. He stopped dead, however, at the sight that greeted him in the hallway.

“Emma. What… what are you doing here?”

“You’re a little too old to be playing dumb now, Killian,” she chided, pushing herself off the wall she’d been leaning against. “I know you saw me at the bar.”

“I saw your date too.”

“Ahh, so that’s why you’re acting this way,” she goaded. “And here was me thinking that what happened the last time we were together meant nothing to you.”

“I’m not the one who disappeared for _four years_!”

Killian hadn’t realised that he’d been advancing upon her with every taunt they’d traded. At least, not until he could feel her warm breath teasing against his neck.

“If you’d wanted to see me again, Killian, you could have simply summoned me.”

“Who’s the guy at the bar?” he pressed, balling his hands into fists at his side to stop himself from reaching out for her. There was something about the confidence with which she wore that black, leather minidress that sent his pulse racing in a way that nothing else ever had in his life.

“A business client. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“And what am I?”

“You… you, Killian Jones, are not like anyone I’ve ever met before,” she assured him, taking that final step closer to bring them chest-to-chest.

Killian wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to that comment, so instead, he did the only thing he could think to do - he dropped his hands down to her hips and pulled her in tight as he pressed their lips together.

Emma must have been expecting his kiss as she didn’t hesitate to slide her palms up his arms, and then weave her fingers through his hair. With every move he made she would tug his body closer to her own, and Killian knew that no matter how close they got, it would never be enough.

This kiss wasn’t anything like the first one they’d shared four years ago. There was something feral about her that night. It was like every move she made was designed to brand him as her own; to ensure that no other woman would _ever_ compare to her. She was dominant and controlling in a way that Killian never thought he would enjoy, but suddenly couldn’t seem to get enough of. Even though he was taller than she was - bigger built than she was - he was under no illusions about who was in control that evening. And he loved every second of it.

As Emma allowed him to back her into the wall she’d been leaning against, Killian found his hands roaming across her back, sliding between the elastic bands and under the leather of her dress. When she bit down on his bottom lip he accidentally tightened his grip a little too firmly, but instead of hissing in pain, Emma moaned in a way that seemed to make the whole building vibrate.

“Not here,” she finally gasped out, pushing against him with a surprising amount of strength that had him falling backwards - and landing with a bounce on something soft and familiar.

Killian pulled away just long enough to turn his head to the left as Emma trailed a blazing line of kisses down his neck, nipping at his skin with her teeth before she soothed the sting with her tongue. The sight of his bedside table wasn’t at all unexpected, and Killian found himself barking out a sharp laugh as he realised that in the split second it had taken for him to fall, Emma had transported them back to his apartment.

“Damn you’re good.”

“So I’ve been told,” she teased, before reclaiming his lips once more.

Killian chuckled into their kiss as her hands dropped down to the buttons on his shirt while his own dipped under the bands of elastic that held her dress in place. Emma’s fingers were sure and nimble as she pushed each tiny button through its hole. When the shirt was gaping open she shimmied back on his thighs, tugging him to a sitting position as she moved so that she could push the fabric from his shoulders. She finally wrenched her lips away from his own to tug the fabric of his t-shirt up his body and over his head, then dipped down to press a kiss to the space where his heart was doing its best to beat its way out of his chest.

Killian swallowed heavily as he watched her climb gracefully off the bed, still wearing her towering heels, and then stare down at him.

“Take your jeans off,” she instructed firmly, reaching behind her to grasp the zipper on her dress.

Killian did his best to hold her gaze as he popped the button on his jeans and shimmied them down his legs, along with his boxer briefs. He was forced to break their stare when the fabric became tangled around his feet. Emma chuckled heartily as she watched him wrestle his clothing off, but when he turned heavily-lidded eyes back her way, the giggles died on her lips. Holding his gaze, she leaned forward slightly to let the leather of her dress fall down her arms and away from her chest, before it dropped heavily to the floor.

“Fuck me,” he whispered, licking his lips as his eyes skimmed lazily over her body.

Emma didn’t seem to be the least bit self-conscious about the fact that she was standing virtually naked in his apartment, wearing only a small pair of black lace panties and her heels.

She waited until his heated gaze finally made its way to her hips before she hooked her thumbs into the fabric there and gently pushed it down her legs. The noise that left Killian’s throat as she was did was one of the least humane sounds she’d ever heard, and Emma suddenly realised that she’d never wanted _anyone_ quite as much as she wanted Killian Jones at that very moment.

Stepping out of her shoes, she brought one leg up to kneel on the bed with a kind of grace and balance Killian hadn’t expected anyone to possess, before bringing up the other. It only took three more moves for her to position her body over his again, and Killian was almost breathless with the anticipation rolling through him.

“Should… should I get a uh… a… you know?” he asked.

Emma giggled into the skin of his neck as she placed a series of surprisingly tender kisses across his collarbone. “I’m not sure we should continue this if you can’t bring yourself to say the word ‘condom’, Killian.”

“I can,” he rushed out, bringing his arms up to encircle her tightly, as if to prevent her from moving off him. “I just… I didn’t want to kill the mood.”

Emma’s giggles vibrated through his body before she pushed herself up to meet his eyes. “Well, as much as I appreciate the offer, what I told you before is still true. I’m not human, Killian. There’s no risk of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases with me. So, unless _you_ want to-”

“I don’t,” he rushed to assure her. “I don’t. I just want you.”

“Me too,” she agreed, leaning down to kiss him slow and deep. As her tongue softly danced with his own, Emma reached back to grasp him firmly in her hand, pumping a few times until their kisses became harder and wetter, and Killian’s hips were thrusting up into her grasp.

When she let go, he gave a small squeak of displeasure that quickly morphed into one, long groan as Emma positioned him at her entrance and then gently pushed back against him.

The feel of being slowly engulfed by her warm, wet heat was completely indescribable. Killian had never felt anything quite like it before, and he wasn’t sure he ever would again. In one painfully-slow move she’d ruined him for anyone else, and he was far too blissfully happy to be angry about that.

And then she started to move.

Emma pushed herself up to a sitting position and brought her hands down to steady herself against his chest, as she began rocking over him.

What started as soft and sweet quickly morphed back into that fire and passion that Killian had seen from her earlier, in the hallway of the club. Emma was like a goddess towering over him, using his body to seek her pleasure, and the sight of it sent him hurtling faster towards his own.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he praised, gripping her thighs so tightly that he was sure he was leaving bruises behind.

“Ungh. So are you,” she gasped out. “So beautiful, Killian. So fucking sexy.”

Her head was thrown back as she bounced over him, riding him harder and faster with every second that passed.

“Shit! I don’t… I won’t last much longer,” he warned. His vision was becoming blurry at the edges, honing in on Emma - and nothing but her.

She pressed her right palm firmly against his chest for support as she reached for one of his hands with her other, tangling their fingers together.

“Tell me you’re mine,” she begged.

“I’m yours,” he promised her because, at that moment, Killian knew it was true. He’d been with other women before, but none of them mattered to him the way that she did. None of them had _ever_ compared to her, and now… none of them ever would.

“Swear it to me,” she demanded, her grip tightening around his fingers as a darkness began building behind her eyes.

“I swear it. I’m yours, Emma. My mind… my body… my soul. It’s all yours.”

Just as he felt her walls begin to tighten around him, Killian opened his eyes. He wanted to watch as she fell. He wanted to sear the image of her climax into his mind forever. But when his eyes locked with hers, Killian could have sworn that, for just a second, her irises were burning red before she screwed them shut, threw her head back, and practically screamed his name to the heavens.

He knew he had no hopes of holding onto his sanity after that, so Killian stopped trying. With three more thrusts, he released himself inside of her, groaning Emma’s name into his pillow as his orgasm slammed into him, stealing all of his energy.

When he finally managed to regain enough control to open his eyes, he found Emma stretched out beside him on the bed with her head cradled in one of her hands, watching him intently.

“That was…” he began, and then trailed off when he realised that he simply didn’t have the words to describe what they had just shared.

“Yeah, it was.”

“Stay with me?” he asked, his words slurring slightly now that all of the adrenaline was leaving his body.

“For as long as I can,” she promised.

Killian hummed his approval as he rolled onto his side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and tugged her in closer.

He was just drifting to sleep when he heard her whisper, “Don’t worry about your brother. I sent him a message explaining that you that weren’t feeling well, and then sent him a distraction. He’ll call you tomorrow morning.”

“Mmmm. Thank you,” Killian mumbled back, snuggling in closer, “… Love you.”

He fell asleep moments later with his head buried in her neck and the smell of Emma’s skin surrounding him.

* * *

Four hours later, the demon named Amaline groaned in frustration as she slipped from the bed and dressed herself with a wave of her hand. She paused briefly to scribble down a quick note for her beloved, leaving it on the table beside his bed, before she allowed that tugging sensation in her gut to take over, pulling her through time and space to the place where she was being summoned.

When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself in a location she’d sworn _never_ to step foot inside of again.

“Hello, Amaline. It’s been a while. Take a seat, why don’t you? We have much to discuss.”

Amaline forced herself to place one foot in front of the other as she made her way across the room to sit down in the chair he was indicating. When she was finally sitting somewhat-comfortably, she raised her head to meet his gaze and said, “Yes, Master,” as her eyes flared a demonic red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Emma/Amaline's look for this chapter was based on Jen's look for the 2012 Entertainment Weekly Annual SDCC Bash.**


	5. Part V

**England, 2016**

Everyone else had already left the chancel, but Killian couldn’t seem to bring himself to stand up and make his way outside. He didn’t want to see what came next, because he knew it would be too final. Once Liam’s body was lowered into the earth, he would no longer be able to tell himself that the whole thing had been a terrible nightmare; that he would wake up the next day and find his annoying big brother alive and well. Once he saw that grave, Killian knew he would lose what little remained of himself, so he continued sitting where he was, biting down on his tongue as he held his shoulder rigidly high.

“I can’t do this alone,” he eventually whispered to the crucifix hanging on the wall in front of him. “I can’t do this without him.”

The sound of a pair of high heels clicking against the stone floor barely penetrated his consciousness, but the warm hand that closed over his own finally managed to startle him back to the moment.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Killian. I came as soon as I heard.”

The tears he’d been fighting all day began to well in his eyes as he flipped her hand over to lace their fingers together. He hadn’t realised just how much he’d needed her until she was there.

“Do you want to go outside for the rest of the service?” she asked.

Killian shook his head before dropping it down heavily to rest against her shoulder.

“Okay,” was all she said, as she calmly stroked her thumb over the back of his hand while he cried silent tears into the wool of her coat.

He wasn’t sure how long they spent sitting that way, but by the time his tears had run dry, Killian knew the service was over.

“He didn’t come. His son is dead and he didn’t come. I… I thought he’d come.”

“I’m so sorry, Killian. He’s a complete waste of space and he doesn’t deserve your thoughts on a day like today.”

Killian nodded against her shoulder, but she knew it would take more than words to help heal the wounds that he was carrying.

“Do you wanna go outside and say goodbye?” she asked, keeping her tone gentle as her thumb continued its soothing touch. “There’s nobody else here now. It’s just you and me.”

Killian nodded his head and then straightened up with a groan. He was going to have one hell of a crick in his neck tomorrow morning, but he didn’t much care about that.

Keeping her hand held firmly in his own, the two of them made their way down the aisle of the church, and out through the large double doors. He didn’t really know where he was going, but she seemed to be moving with purpose, so he let her lead the way. His feet stumbled a little as they approached the open grave, and his knees threatened to give way completely when he peered down inside to see his brother’s final resting place.

“Do you want me to give you some time alone?”

“No,” he rushed out, tightening his grip around her fingers. “No. Please don’t go.”

She reached out to cover their joined hands with her free one, squeezing tightly to try and comfort him - but Killian wasn’t sure anything could comfort him that afternoon. All he wanted was his brother, and now, he was never going to get him back.

For the longest time, the two of them stood in silence, hand-in-hand, staring down at the open grave. There was so much Killian wanted to say and yet, he couldn’t seem to force the words from his mouth. Eventually, he settled on the only thing that felt right for the moment.

“I miss you, Brother.”

She squeezed his hand tightly once more as he turned his eyes up to the stormy skies above them. “Let’s get you out of here,” she said, and the next moment, Killian was looking at the ceiling of the living room in his family home.

Being away from all of the prying eyes at the funeral felt like a literal weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He let go of her hand, shrugged out of his jacket, and then dropped down heavily onto the sofa. Killian wanted to stay in that place forever - never moving; never changing. But he knew that eventually, life would intrude again.

When the sofa depressed slightly beside him, he screwed his eyes shut to ask, “What are you doing here, Emma?”

“I didn’t want you to be alone.”

“Why not?” he shot back. “I am every other fucking day. I don’t see you for two years and suddenly you’re concerned about my well-being?”

“I’m always concerned about your well-being,” she argued, keeping her tone soft and even.

“Yeah, well… you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

Emma sat in silence for a moment before reaching out, intending to cover his hand with her own. But the pain inside Killian’s stomach was now churning away into something much more familiar – anger.

He was angry with his father for not even bothering to call when his eldest son had died. He was angry at Liam for dying and for leaving him alone in this world. But most of all, he was angry with her. He was angry at the way she’d left that night, some two years ago. He was angry that he’d fallen in love with her, and that she’d somehow made him feel like she could love him too. And he was so fucking angry that she had the audacity to come back now, like nothing had ever happened between them, on the worst day of his life.

“Jesus Christ, Emma. What the fuck happened? I thought you liked me. I thought… Would it really have been so hard to pick up a God damned phone and call me?”

“I don’t have a phone,” she replied calmly.

“You pop in and out of my damned life whenever it pleases you,” Killian roared, pushing himself to his feet to pace in front of her. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that you couldn’t pop back once in the last two years? Was it really that bad? Was I that bad?”

“What?” Emma asked, rising gracefully to her feet.

Killian took two steps back so that he was out of her reach.

“Is that _really_ what you think?” she demanded. “Did I not look like I was enjoying myself that night? Did it not _feel_ like I was enjoying myself?”

Killian said nothing. Instead, he simply stared at her defiantly.

“I got called away,” she explained, taking another small step forward. “I left you a note. I told you I could be gone for a while and that you could summon me whenever you needed me. After our… time together… I had something I needed to do. Something I needed to try and fix. As the days passed, I assumed the reason you hadn’t summoned me was because you simply didn’t want to see me again, so I thought it best to stay away.”

“See, that’s the problem,” he exploded, turning on his heels and raising his hands to tug violently at his hair. “You made all of these assumptions but you never once actually stopped to ask if I _knew_ how to summon you. I don’t, Emma. I don’t have a fucking clue how to contact you. You just show up at random moments and expect me to know what’s going on.”

“You don’t know how to summon me?” she asked monotonously, as moments from their past encounters flashed through her mind.

“No. I don’t even really know what you _mean_ by summoning you. Most people have phones that we use to communicate with each other. Or an email address. Hell, even a postal address would do. We don’t _summon_ them like some sort of archaic demon.”

Emma’s face must have shown a flicker of emotion at his choice of words because suddenly, Killian’s eyes were widening with the kind of clarity that only came from realisation.

“You’re… you… you’re a demon? An _actual_ demon?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“But you… you’re not… and you don’t have… you can’t be. You’ve always been so kind to me.”

“And you’ve always been so kind to me,” she countered.

“How? How is this possible? You’re… you’re just a… a woman. A beautiful woman. How can you be… evil?”

“Do you really think me evil, Killian? Have I _ever_ given you a reason to believe that I am?”

He shook his head and Emma took another small step forward. “I do my job, Killian. And yes, there is a part of me that enjoys it - I’m not gonna lie to you about that. It’s the part of me that was broken many centuries ago. It was tortured and twisted into something completely unrecognisable, but I’m not evil. I make sure that I vet each and every one of my clients carefully. They know the consequences of their agreement, and I only ever seal that deal if I’m certain they deserve what fate has in store for them. These people know what they’re sacrificing and yet, they still agree to my terms. Does that really make me the evil one?”

“What um… what exactly does your job entail?” he asked, conveniently skipping over her question while simultaneously dreading the answer to his own.

“I’m what’s technically known as a crossroads demon, but we aren’t just found at crossroads now. The world has adapted and so have we. My job is to make deals with humans. I give them what they want and in return, they promise me their soul.”

“Their soul?” Killian chuckled, sounding a little hysterical. “That… that’s a real thing?”

“It’s very much a real thing, and it’s an incredibly powerful thing. Something that should _never_ be bartered away.”

“And what uh… what do people ask for? What do they trade their souls for?”

“All kinds of things. Stupid things, really,” Emma sighed, as she took a seat on the sofa once again. “Things that aren’t worth eternal damnation. Or things that should _never_ be messed with.”

Killian seemed to consider her words for a moment as he took a seat beside her, and then, a sudden clarity filled his eyes once more. “You can bring him back, right? You can bring Liam back. That’s what you mean by things that shouldn’t be messed with. You can bring back the dead.”

“Yes,” Emma agreed, because she really didn’t want to lie to him, which is why she added, “But I won’t.”

“You… you _won’t_? What the hell do you mean that you _won’t_? He’s my _brother_.”

“I know that,” she pacified, “And I also know that I can’t even begin to imagine how you must be feeling right now, but Killian, I do know that you _don’t_ want this.”

“You don’t know _anything_!” he roared, as he jumped back up to his feet. He turned to head straight for the front door but before he could take more than two steps towards it, Emma was in front of him once again.

“What I said to you in Paris was true. I _used_ to be human, Killian. I used to be human and now I’m not – because I made a stupid, senseless deal I didn’t fully understand when I was your age and this… this is what happens as a result of that. You don’t want this, Killian, and Liam wouldn’t want this for you. I know you feel scared and lonely right now, but how do you think Liam will feel when you leave him suddenly in six years? How do you think he’d feel knowing that you’d condemned yourself to a life of unimaginable torture just to bring him back? Do you think he’d be able to live with that knowledge? Would you want him to?”

“I don’t care. I don’t care about me or my soul. You can take it. I just want my brother back. And if you won’t bring him back to me,” he threatened darkly, “I’ll find someone else who will.”

Emma’s laugh was so unexpected that it was a little scary.

“Do you honestly think _anyone_ will answer that summons, Killian? You could try calling for Satan himself and your prayers would all go unanswered. Nobody’s making that deal with you. They all know that you’re _mine_ and they know not to touch you unless they want to answer to me, so if I were you, I’d get that stupid idea out of your head as quickly as it arrived.”

Killian opened and closed his mouth, and then opened and closed it once more. He’d never heard Emma speak to anyone that way before, and being on the receiving end of her tirade wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.

“I’m sorry,” she said, after a long moment of awkward silence had settled between them. “I didn’t mean to lose my temper with you. I just… I care about you, Killian. I only want what’s best for you, I promise you that.”

“Then why didn’t you come back sooner?” he asked, as all of the anger and fight drained from his body. He was suddenly completely exhausted. The sweet oblivion that came with sleep had _never_ felt as appealing as it did right then.

“There was something I needed to do before I saw you again.”

“And that took you _two years_?”

“No. I… I came back when I heard about what had happened to Liam. I’m uh… I’m still trying to figure out the rest.”

“What… what does that even mean, Emma? And no more lies or half-truths,” he begged. “Please, if you have any respect for me, just tell me the truth. What kept you away from me for _two fucking years_?”

Emma lifted her head to catch his gaze and held it as she reached for his hand. The fact that he didn’t pull away from her this time gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, they could salvage something of the friendship they had once shared.

“I’ve never lied to you, Killian. I might have kept a few things to myself but I’ve never lied to you.” She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, adjusting her grip on his palm as she did so. “The night we spent together, _two fucking years ago_ ,” she teased gently, “Meant the world to me. It meant too much to me and that… that’s the problem.”

“Wha–”

“Let me finish,” she begged. “It’s not uncommon for my kind to exchange sexual favours with your own. It’s happened throughout history and it’ll likely continue until the very end of mankind itself. What is uncommon, however, is what happened between us that night. I uh… I didn’t feel it happen. I didn’t know it had happened until I was summoned before my Master. He felt it. He could sense that change in the balance of power in the universe, and he was _furious_ with me. All I know is that somehow, you tied your soul to me that evening and I haven’t been able to find a way to break that bond. I can’t even find an explanation for how it happened, and believe me, I’ve been _everywhere_ looking for answers.”

“My… my soul? I… I’ve already traded it away?” he asked. Panic was beginning to creep into the edges of his eyes, and Emma hated that she was putting him through all of this.

“No… Yes… I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “All I know is that it’s mine. It’s… bound to me, in some way. It took me a while to realise it but… I can feel it. I don’t know how to describe it, Killian. All I know is that it’s there - like some missing piece that’s constantly calling to me, constantly broadcasting how you feel… constantly trying to pull me back to you.”

“Like a soulmate,” he whispered, so quietly that even Emma had to strain her ears to catch the words.

“I’m not exactly sure I’d call this a soulmate situation,” she chuckled bitterly. “Soulmates usually get a happy ending and right now… I don’t even know what will be waiting for you at the end of your life.”

“I’ll be with you, right?” he pressed. “You said it yourself, we… we’re connected now, Emma. I’ll be with you.”

“That’s not necessarily a good thing,” she argued.

“Who says it’s not?” Killian demanded. “I… I’ve missed you, Emma. I just want you to be a part of my life. If this is what it takes then… I don’t think it’s all that bad.”

“You’re wrong!”

“I’m not! I’m not a child anymore, Emma. I’m an adult and I know what I want. I was devastated when I woke up that morning and you weren’t there. I thought… I thought that maybe you’d come back. I waited for you to come back. And when you didn’t… If this means we can finally be together, then I don’t see how this is a bad thing.”

“Killian,” she sighed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t want this. You don’t want me. And you _certainly_ don’t want to be chained to me for all of eternity. You’re lonely and vulnerable right now and _this_ … this is not the answer. I am literally a demonic force of energy, currently shaping myself into something that resembles what I remember of my human form. I don’t need to eat. I don’t sleep. I don’t breathe. I don’t even have a home. I walk this earth making deals and collecting souls for my Master’s Great Uprising. Is that really something you want to do for the rest of your life? Just follow me around and watch me work? Can you honestly say that you would rather be dragged all over the world at the whim of idiotic human beings that want more money or sex, rather than spending the rest of your time safe and loved here on earth, and later, in heaven – with your brother? Because if you’re chained to me, Killian, you’re _never_ going there. It’s the one place in this world demons are forbidden to visit. If you pick me, you will _never_ see your brother again.”

Killian’s expression dropped for a moment as he considered the idea of an eternity without Liam. He’d never thought he’d have to face a life without his brother as a part of it before, and he’d certainly never considered the idea of eternity without him. But an eternity by Emma’s side was something he’d often caught himself daydreaming about, before the anger at the way she’d disappeared took over again. The reality of the situation might not be as romantic as he’d pictured it to be, but he couldn’t deny that there was still a piece of his heart longing for it, the same way he longed to be with her.

“I don’t wanna spend the rest of eternity in a place where you can _never_ go. That’s not heaven for me. It never has been and it never will be. Liam will be happy where he is. He won’t miss me. Not if he’s really in heaven. He’ll be where he’s supposed to be and I’ll be where I’m supposed to be. Travelling the world with you sounds like an incredible way to spend our eternity. We can make a home together, Emma. Make memories when you’re not busy doing Satan’s work. We can be happy together! You just need to let it happen.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open as if she were planning to respond, but all she could do was sit and stare at Killian. She wasn’t really sure what to say to such a passionate declaration. She knew that she should try and find the words to dissuade him from this life. Killian deserved better than an eternity spent chained to her side. But every word he’d spoken painted such a beautiful picture of their future together, and that piece of her that seemed to have appeared when they were last together was now humming in contentment at the idea of an eternity with her beloved.

“I’ve missed you,” Killian whispered into the small space between them, before he leaned forward to press his lips firmly to hers.

“I missed you too,” she admitted, as she pulled back to press her forehead against his. She’d tried hiding that truth from herself for so long, but now they were back together, Emma knew there was no hiding it. It was precisely the reason why she’d stayed away from him after her master had finished punishing her. The demon known as Amaline had fallen in love, and she’d fallen in love with a human! She wasn’t sure how or why it had happened, but she knew there was no stopping it now.

“I’m tired, Emma. So tired.”

Emma freed one of her hands from his grasp to reach up and run her fingers softly through Killian’s hair again. She knew that the past week had been a whirlwind of emotions for him. She’d felt every single one of them as they’d raced around his body, battling for attention all day every day. The anger at his father for not returning any of his calls. The pain and sadness of having to say a final farewell to his beloved brother. The longing he often felt, late at night, for her, before the anger returned. She was honestly amazed that he was still standing – metaphorically speaking, of course.

“Why don’t we get you up to bed?” she offered.

“You’ll stay, right? For real this time. You’ll stay?” He pulled back just far enough to fix her with a piercing stare, and Emma found herself nodding her agreement.

“I’ll stay,” she promised, pulling him in a little closer as she moved them from the sofa and up to the bed in his old childhood room.

“Forever?” he mumbled sleepily, the syllables blending together as he did.

Emma gave a small wave of her fingers and they were suddenly both under the covers, Killian dressed only in his boxer briefs while she wore the same T-shirt she had peeled him out of, a little over two years ago.

“Forever,” she finally whispered back, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as he snuggled in a little closer.

While Killian fell asleep with the word _forever_ echoing through his mind, Emma allowed her own eyes to drift shut as that small part of herself that now belonged to him radiated love and affection.

* * *

Three years later, the demon named Amaline shook hands with the young woman standing before her, her eyes flashing red as she did to seal the deal that would eventually end the human girl’s life.

“So uh… when will it happen? When will his wife be gone?” Rosie asked.

“She’s already out of the picture,” Amaline assured her, as a small smile tugged at her lips. Rosie hadn’t been explicitly clear with her wording, so instead of killing the other woman, Amaline had simply sent her on a very long and very enjoyable vacation to celebrate her new divorce.

“Ugh, what are you so happy about?” Rosie demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

Amaline took a moment to let the familiar tugging sensation fill her up, before she turned her attention back to the disgusting excuse for a human being standing in her presence. Rosie had just traded her soul for a fling with her boss, and it would never last. Amaline knew for a fact that Rosie’s boss was sleeping with other women all over the country. Having his wife out of the picture wouldn’t change a damned thing between them.

“Either my fiancé is making a sandwich or he’s summoning me home,” she explained, fishing a brand new mobile phone from her pocket to check the time. It only had one number programmed into it, but it was the only number she would ever need. “I think I might be running a little late for my wedding ceremony.”

Rosie quirked a brow at her in confusion. “Demons can marry?”

“ _This_ demon can,” Amaline corrected. “But first, I think a change of clothing is in order.”

She raised her right hand and gave it a quick wave. The conservative black dress she’d been wearing was now gone, and in its place was something altogether more dramatic and sexy.

“You’re wearing _that_ to get married in?” Rosie snorted out, looking every inch the mean girl Amaline knew her to be, as she surveyed the black lace and tulle of the demon’s gown.

“Yes,” Amaline replied smugly. “It’ll drive my new husband absolutely insane.” She paused for a moment to watch as the sneer on Rosie’s face dropped a little at her words, and then added, “Have fun spending the next six-years with someone else’s husband,” before she allowed her soul-bond to carry her back to the man she loved, and the home they now shared together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Although not explicitly mentioned in this chapter, Emma/Amaline's looks here were based on Jen's looks for the TRESemme at Mara Hoffman A/W16 Presentation on February 13, 2016 and the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.**

**Author's Note:**

> **Thanks for reading.**


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